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BC defends Heinz Field turf

Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette
Ben Roethlisberger and his mother, Brenda Roethlisberger, sit on one end of a giant soup spoon-shaped scale, balanced by cases of Chunky soup during a weigh-in to help support food banks. Max Starks and his mother, Eleanor Starks, also were weighed. The combined weight of the Roethlisbergers and Starks will be donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Most Steelers seem to prefer playing on a good artificial surface over what they play on at Heinz Field. Not their coach.

"I would never like to see artificial turf," Bill Cowher said yesterday. "I'm very happy with what we have."

The Steelers play on DD GrassMaster, a combination of Kentucky bluegrass reinforced by a small percentage of artificial fibers. Players slipped often on the grass in their Sept. 7 opener, held at night, and many more slipped Sunday, when the game started at 4:15 p.m.

The first big play of the game featured two slips, by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Ty Law as he tried to cover Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes, who then slipped and fell to end his 50-yard gain.

"I think it was that time of day," Cowher said. "The sun went down, and there was a natural drop in temperature. I don't think it had as much to do with the field as it did the time of day."
The New England Patriots are the latest team set to replace its grass surface with FieldTurf, reportedly before they play the Chicago Bears Nov. 26 in Gillette Stadium. (By the way, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has a 17-1 record on artificial turf).

The Steelers practice often on FieldTurf at their indoor field, but Cowher prefers the real stuff on game day.

"It may be a little unsettling for some of the players," Cowher said, "but in the long run, for the health of players, it's the right thing to do."

Ok Im sorry, but it was the time of day that caused the field to suck?????, gimme a break !!! The turf at Heinz has sucked ever since it was built ! Every year it gets worse and worse ! If that's not a diplomatic answer I don't know what is.

The new prescription field turf has an injury history that is almost exactly the same as real grass, it looks just like real grass, and will last for at least 10 years. I'm old school and like the snow and rain and mud too, but if they can't hold the field together, this needs addressed.

I agree with all your points on this thread, but you know something, this field at Heinz keeps getting worse and worse. I am a bit embrassed to see such a thing happening when we have all kinds of visitors playing on the surface there. I think if the Steelers were the only ones playing at Heinz, we wouldn't be having this problem, although, as I pointed out before, someone told me once, what kid wouldn't enjoy the experience of a lifetime to play in the home of the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers? I sure as hell would love it.

Real grass has Steelers hard nose football written all over it! I can relate to BC's comment about it being that time of the day because when the temp starts to drop dew will start to set in on the field causing the players to slip, don't you guys remember that playing football as a kid out in the yard? The slippage is actually good because if their cleat dug in then the players could be blowing out knees and we don't want that

Heinz Field has poor footing no matter what time of day or what time of year. Unless its in the preaseason when nobody has played on the new sod yet, that's the only time we get a decent looking and performing field.

The time of day certainly doesn't help any, but thats not even close to the real reason. I agree he's definately tip toeing around this because anybody who's watched our boys play at Heinz knows it gets worse every year as the season goes on.

well since i'm young, i say f'k the old bull **** hard nose crap, bettis is gone and we can no longer be like that in the snow and ****.....it's time to change to what everyone else is doing instead of being stuck in the past....this field hurts us more then helps......and i read an article last year or two years ago saying that our field was voted the worse or second worse in the nfl by nfl players.....time to change.....

well since i'm young, i say f'k the old bull **** hard nose crap, bettis is gone and we can no longer be like that in the snow and ****.....it's time to change to what everyone else is doing instead of being stuck in the past....this field hurts us more then helps......and i read an article last year or two years ago saying that our field was voted the worse or second worse in the nfl by nfl players.....time to change.....

I remember reading that article, Koopa, I believe it was in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. You are absolutely right it is time to change the field and fast. It is just pathetic. You remember before, during, and after that Chicago Bears game last season during the snowstorm? Look how bad that field was. It was just plain nasty.